NEW YORK - Wrestling for the first time this season at home in the University
(Blue) Gym, the Columbia grapplers did not disappoint the favorable crowd,
downing American, 24-13.

Josh Houldsworth notched the first of three major decisions
for the Lions in the opening bout of the match. Wrestling at 165 pounds,
Houldsworth recorded a takedown and near fall in the opening period to build a
5-0 advantage. He continued to build on that the next two periods, coming away
with the 13-2 major decision.

No. 22 Stephen West mimicked Houldsworth, posting another
major decision in favor of the Lions to give Columbia an 8-0 lead. West held a
7-0 lead after two periods of wrestling before adding three late points in the
third with an escape and takedown to go up 10-2. With the riding time point,
West came away with an 11-2 major decision.

Thomas Barriero got American on the board in the 184-pound
bout, downing Drew Rebling, 5-2. Nick Mills came back right back for Columbia
with a pin of Devon Bradley in the 197-bout. Mills victory in 3:12 ended up
being a seven-point swing in favor of the Lions, as Bradley was called for
unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of the match, docking American a
point to put Columbia ahead 14-2.

American would rally though, winning the following three
matches, two by major decision to close the gap to 14-13 heading into the
141-pound bout. First-year Alec Mooradian got the Lions back on track,
registering a climatic 3-1 sudden victory in overtime to give Columbia a
four-point cushion, 17-13.

No. 8 Steve Santos secured the team victory for Columbia in
the next match with a one-point decision, 4-3, over Kevin Tao. The match went
into the final 30 seconds all knotted at 3-3, but Santos was able to escape
from Tao to notch the winning point and put Columbia up 20-13.

No. 17 Jake O'Hara put the exclamation point on the win with
a 12-3 major decision over Mark Cirello. O'Hara went up 5-0 in the first period
following a near fall and added two takedowns in the final period.

Columbia is back on the mats tomorrow, Jan. 27, at Hofstra.
Match time against the Pride is set for 1 p.m. The Lions return home next
Saturday, Feb. 2 when they host No. 8 Cornell for a 6 p.m. Ivy League battle.